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I whip my head to look at him. "Get me out of this car right now or I'll scream bloody murder!"

Xavier doesn't even turn to look at me. "Go ahead, Maria. No one will hear you."

I grit my teeth, trying to ignore how deep and warm his voice is. I don't know what this guy thinks he's doing, but I refuse to let him intimidate me. He reaches into the center console and offers me a small towel, which I reluctantly take. Dabbing the water away from my face, I'm finally able to get a good look at him, and really seeing him for the first time hits me like a ton of bricks.

The attraction is instant and powerful, like some sort of connection shoots out of me and locks onto him the moment we make eye contact. I knew he had dark hair and eyes from the limited view I'd gotten of him outside, but I'm not prepared for just how attractive he really is. His eyes are a deep, rich brown, his nose strong, and there's a frown on his surprisingly soft-looking mouth.

Xavier's hair is jet-black and cut close to his scalp on the sides, longer on top. At the moment, it's soaked, but so is the rest of him, so it fits. Even in the less-than-flattering lights of the car, I can tell he's tan, and there's the dark shadow of stubble on his jaw. There's an old, white scar just above his upper lip that I have the wildest urge to trace with my tongue, and he's staring right at me, like he knows exactly what I'm thinking.

I tear my eyes away and clear my throat, forcing myself to remember how angry I am about the situation he put me in. I'm sure I look a mess, hair soaked and dripping, mascara probably smudged across my cheeks, and my clothes soggy.

"What do you want from me?" I ask, my voice trembling slightly. I hate that it betrays even the slightest hint of fear.

"The fact that you aren't screaming and trying to escape the vehicle tells me you already know the answer to that, but I'll humor you anyway. My name is Xavier Romano, and I'm the man whom your father promised your hand in marriage to. You, Maria De Luca, are going to be my wife in less than forty-eight hours, so I came here to get you and make sure you didn't attempt some sort of escape." A hint of amusement softens his frown. "Your father did say you were a wild one, and I can see he wasn't lying. Now, buckle up. You're coming home with me."

My heart races as he turns back to face the front and shifts into drive. I can't believe this is happening.

I glance at Xavier out of the corner of my eye and try not to let mygaze linger on the sharp curve of his jaw or the broad set of his shoulders. He's tall and strong, probably close to a foot taller than me.

I can see why my dad chose him to ask for money. The SUV reeks of money, and so does the man sitting next to me. I can smell the expensive cologne wafting from his skin, along with something else warm and masculine, and when I look down, I notice he's wearing a Cartier watch that probably costs more than my college education.

"This is stupid," I blurt out. "You don't even know me."

"No," he concedes, "but I have a problem, and you're going to help me fix it, sweet Maria. Now, sit back. We've got a long drive."

2

XAVIER

Maria De Luca is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. She smells like vanilla and sun-warmed skin, and if I let my guard down, she might rip my throat out.

I don't know why that turns me on so damn much, but just the thought of her launching herself across the SUV and putting her hands on me has me hard as stone, and I have to discreetly adjust myself when she takes a second to look out the window.

I’m thirty-three, not a damn teenager, how in the hell am I letting a woman have this kind of effect on me?

I didn't really give a damn what Franco's daughter looked like when he made the crazy deal to marry his daughter. All I knew was that I'd been struggling with something, and an easy marriage to any woman would solve it in an instant. Considering Franco looks and behaves like a toad at the best of times, I was more than a little shocked to see that his daughter was an absolute knockout. I knew she was pretty from the pictures I'd seen on the walls of his office, but the photos didn't do her justice.

She's gorgeous, with long blond hair darkened by the rain, big blue eyes framed by thick lashes, full pink lips I can't stop looking at, and curves for days. It's almost enough to make me wish this marriage wasn't going to just be for show.

I've had control of the family business for years now, but it wasn't until recently that my father became sick. As much as none of us liked to admit it, the old man is looking worse by the day, and we're all afraid he doesn't have much time left. I'd do anything for my father, but the one thing he's been asking of me lately seemed impossible right up until Franco De Luca offered me his daughter.

My father wants me to settle down and get married, so one day my child can carry on the family name. Pops has been obsessed with the idea lately, and it was killing me that I couldn’t give him what he wanted. There is just no time for me to date, make some poor, unsuspecting girl fall in love with me, and marry her.

And that's how Maria fixes all my problems. Sure, I'm out a significant amount of money, but money is meaningless compared to family.

Plus, we made our fortune two generations ago when our spirit supply company was just a front for something more nefarious. We’ve been out of the crime game for a long time, but the reputation remains.

I don’t hate it. Having people terrified of my family name is useful for business. Hence, Franco being so scared of me that he offered up his daughter.

I'll marry Maria, Pops will get to attend my wedding, and he’ll be happy. As long as Maria plays along, things will be just fine. I'm not an animal. I know there won't be anything real between us, but I never wanted to get hitched anyway.

Well … until I got a good look at Maria, but surely that feeling has to pass.

As soon as our eyes met, I was drawn to her so powerfully that it almost overcame my better judgment. I wanted to give her the world in that moment, kiss her senseless, and make her mine. She's nothing to me but a beautiful stranger, but I feel like I've known her for years, like she was always meant to be my wife.

Not my wife in name only, but my real wife. It's a stupid notion, and I set it aside before I could dwell on the thought of the connection any longer. Luckily, Maria speaks, breaking up my thoughts.

"You can't really expect me to go home with you and just be fine with it. Even if I went along with this stupid plan, all of my things are still at my apartment." She huffs.

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